Ando, a new startup led by Sara Du, has unveiled a team messaging app designed to integrate AI agents as active participants alongside humans, eliminating communication bottlenecks common in tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
- AI agents gain full conversational roles with distinct identities
- Supports channels, DMs, group chats, and live calls with transcription
- Raised $20 million in pre-seed and seed funding to expand
What happened
Sara Du’s startup Ando has emerged from stealth with a new messaging platform that treats AI agents as fundamental team members rather than just installed apps. The platform offers agents their own inboxes and identities, allowing them to join conversations naturally, monitor channels, and proactively communicate with human collaborators. Ando’s tools include channels, direct messages, group chats, and live calls which AI agents can partake in, transcribe, and manage.
To support development and scale its ambitions, Ando secured $20 million in combined pre-seed and seed funding from prominent investors such as Accel, Index Ventures, and Emergence. The startup is already working with clients across sectors like software, real estate, and finance in 15 countries, primarily servicing small teams for now.
Why it matters
Existing workplace platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams have integrated AI agents more as tools or bots with limited conversational agency. In contrast, Ando aims to create a workspace where AI and humans collaborate fluidly within the same conversations, reducing the need for humans to relay AI-generated insights manually. This can increase efficiency as agents process much more information and connect relevant threads faster than humans might.
This approach addresses a growing demand for native AI agent participation in team communication amid rapid AI adoption at work. As legacy platforms adapt, Ando’s agent-first design positions it as a challenger to incumbents by offering a fresh take on how AI can augment team collaboration natively rather than as an afterthought.
What to watch next
Ando faces the challenge of convincing teams to switch from well-established platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams, which have embedded AI integrations. The company’s success will depend on demonstrating that its AI-native messaging features lead to notable productivity gains and better coordination compared to conventional platforms.
Monitor how Ando’s product evolves, especially its agent capabilities in managing conversations and decisions autonomously. Also, watch for new customer acquisitions beyond small teams, potential enterprise adoption, and how incumbents respond to this emerging agent-centric collaboration model.